Notched endless elastic band putting target



March 2, 1965 F. B. STRANG $171,657

' uowcaso ENDLESS ELASTIC BAND PUTTING TARGET Filed March 20, 1965INVENTOR' FRANClS B. STRANG ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,171,657NOTCHED ENDLEdS ELASTEC BAND PUTTHJG TARGET Francis B. Strang, Rte. 1,Box 594, Fairfax, Va. Filed Mar. 2%, 1963, Ser. No. 266,753 Claims.(ill. 273177) The present invention relates to improvements in amusementdevices, and more particularly to a golf target for practicing puttingand other golf strokes and which can be used indoors as well asoutdoors.

One object is to provide a golf practice device for developing thecorrect putting stroke and a swing with coordinated rhythm whenexecuting putts or other golf strokes for relatively short distances.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device which can beconveniently attached to the legs of an article of furniture such as achair or the like, and which can be easily removed and stored in thepocket of a golf bag when not in use.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device which is reversibleand can optionally be used as a target of the pocket type or a targetfor returning the golf ball to the player.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device having a detachablecentral marker indicator which can be easily removed and shifted fromthe front to the back of the target when the same is reversed.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device having a series ofindication marks printed or otherwise secured along one edge which areequidistantly spaced so that a number of golf balls may be struck insuccession toward the target and the balls trapped or pocketed bypassing under the short wall opening in the target.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device which includes anendless band formed of elastic material such as rubber or a syntheticrubber composition which can be easily and quickly stretched and placedin position on the lower ends of a pair of chair legs of a conventionalchair or the like, and which can be easily removed and reversed topermit the device to be used for either returning the ball to the golferor trapping the ball after the putting stroke.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device which is formed ofan endless flexible band in which substantially one-half of the band iscut away along one side to provide an entrance slot for the golf ball,while the other I side of full width forms a re-bound surface andextends to the floor or other surface upon which the chair is supported.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device which iscomparatively simple in operation and which can be installed on aconventional chair in a stretched condition to provide a unique andnovel practice device without requiring intricate structures or complexdevices, but will at the same time afford a great source of amusementand improve the skill of the golfer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description of the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the golf practice target deviceapplied to the legs of a conventional dining room chair or the like, andshowing the manner in which the golf practice device is used.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the golf practice device showingthe same enlarged and stretched between a pair of chair legs.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on lines 33 of FIGURE2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the manner in whichthe device is used for trapping the golf ball during putting practice.

3,171,657 Patented Mar. 2, 1965 ice FIGURE 4 is a front elevational viewof the golf practice device showing the manner in which it is stretchedover the lower ends of the chair legs when used in putting practice forreturning the ball to the player.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view further illustrating the mannerin which the golf ball passes beneath the flexible band at the cut awayportion thereof and is stopped and trapped by the other wall of the bandwhich is of a width to extend from the floor up the chair leg a distanceof approximately three inches.

In the drawing, and more in detail, attention is first directed toFIGURE 1 wherein the practice device generally designated 5 is appliedto the rear legs or the front legs if desired, of a conventional chair 6having a pair of front legs 7 and a pair of rear legs 8. The front legs7 of conventional chairs are usually spaced approximately 18 while therear legs 8 in conventional chair structures are spaced approximately14". The practice device can be used on either the front legs or therear legs.

The golf practice device 5 comprises an endless rubber band formed ofrubber or synthetic rubber composition and said band is endless with acircumference of approxi mately 24". The band includes a front wallportion 10 and a rear wall portion 111. The rubber band 5 is of athickness of approximately of an inch to permit the same to be stretchedbetween a pair of chair legs and yieldingly held in place withouttearing or becoming ruptured. The front wall 16 of the endless flexibleband 5 is cut as at 12 so that the lower edge thereof terminates adistance A from the floor F upon which the chair or other device issupported. The rear Wall 11 extends to the floor surface F and is of awidth of approximately 3".

The endless flexible band 5 is approximately 3" wide except for theportion shown in FIGURE 2 which is cut away as at 12 to form a trappingslot between the edge 12 and the floor surface F and said endless band 5can be easily removed from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to theposition shown in FIGURE 4 so that the wall portion of widest width 11faces the player. In this position, the golf ball is struck toward thecenter of the full width band and the surface 11 forms a re-boundsurface for returning the ball to the golfer.

As shown in FIGURE 5 the golf ball B is actually slightly larger indiameter than the width of the slot formed between the edge 12 and thefloor surface F so that when the ball B passes beneath the edge 12 itwill be retarded when driven in the direction indicated by the arrow Cand will then strike the inner surface of the rear wall 11 and thus betrapped between the front and rear walls 10 and 11. The diameter of thegolf ball B used presently in accordance with the U5. Golf Associationis approximately 1.73 in diameter, and it is intended to cut the band 5away along the edge 12 so that said edge 12 is spaced from the floor F adistance of approximately 1.53". Hence, the golf ball B will engage thelower edge 12 of the wall 10 at a point slightly ahead of the axis andthe edge 12 will flex and permit the ball to come to rest against thewall 11 and the lower edge of the wall 10 and become trappedtherebetween.

A detachable indicator 15 of U-shaped construction is provided and isclipped on the front wall 10 in the center thereof to provide a guidefor the player during putting practice. The guide 15 may be formed ofmetal having a back wall 16 and a pointed front wall 17 extendingdownwardly to a point spaced from the cut away edge 12 of the endlessband 5.

In addition, a series of indicating marks 18 are printed or otherwisemarked along the marginal edge portion of the wall 10 and terminateadjacent the cut away edge 12 thereof.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a unique and noveldevice for practicing putting either indoors or outdoors, and when thedevice is used to trap one or more balls putted to the target and theballs have become trapped the golfer may easily release the balls withhis putter blade and without necessitating bending over and by simplylifting the wall lil in an upward direction and manipulating the bladeof the putter so that the balls will be forced out of their pocketedposition.

A reinforcing bead 19 extends along the upper edge of the band toreinforce the same and prevent the band from tearing or becomingmutilated when the device is applied and removed from the chair legs.Also, a handle member 20 formed of rubber or other material can beattached to the band to permit the same to be stretched in alongitudinal direction with respect to the walls 16 and 11 andfacilitate the application and removal of the band when the same isbeing reversed with respect to the chair legs or is being stored.

The legs 7 and 8 of the chair 6 in 'standard chairs are 1%" square insection, and when the flexible band is installed the walls and 11 willbe spaced a corresponding distance. This spacing is sufficient to permitthe ball B to be pocketed between the lower edge 12 of the wall 10 andthe wall 11.

In operation, the band 5 is installed on the legs 8 7 of a chair 6 asshown in FIGURE 1, and the player P- can practice putting with a golfclub G so that the head H can strike the ball B and drive the same alongthe dotted line as shown by the arrows Z to strike the" rubber band 5.in the area of the marker 15. The ball B as shown in dotted lines willpass beneath the edge 12 of the wall 10 and will be trapped in the spacebetween the walls 10 and 11.

Optionally, the band 5 can be reversed so that the wall 11 is outermostfacing the player P. When the band 5 is reversed the marker which may becolored red or black is detached from the wall 10 and placed on theupper edge of the wall 11 so that when the player P strikes the ball Bwith the club head H the ball' will strike the wall 11 and theresiliency thereof will cause the ball to re-bound to. its originalposition near the player P without necessitating the player walkingtoward the chair 6 and removing the balls with the club head H afterthey have been trapped when the device is used as shown in FIGURE 1.FIGURE 4 illustrates the position of the band 5 on the chair legs 8 whenthe device is used as a return target in which the re-bound returns theball to the striking area of the player P.

In the perspective view shown in FIGURE 1 the player P will take astance so that the line of flight Z of the ball B is normal orperpendicular to the walls 10 or 11 of the band 5 depending upon whichwall'surface is presented foremost to the player.

The cut-out 12 extends from the curved edge portions 22 of the band 5and the space between the vertically curved surfaces 22 which merge withthe edge 12 is approximately ten inches when the band is in'its normalposition, but is approximately spaced a distance of 12 to 13 inches whenthe band is in position and. the same is stretched so that the walls 10and 11 will be tensioned. The space between the upwardly curved edges 22of the wall 10 is formed such that the end por-. tions of the endlessband form full length or width leg engaging portions to frictionallyhold the band 5 in place and to maintain the walls 10 and 11 undertension when the band is stretched between the legs 8. The band 5 can beadjusted to increase or decrease the tension of either wall 11 or 12 forchair structures of non-v standard dimensions and in view of the factthat the practice device 5 is formed of flexible material capable ofstretching several inches the same can be applied to other articles offurniture having legs spaced various distances such as stools and thelike.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred embodiment thereof, and thatvarious changes in the shape, and construction may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thesubjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a pair of verticalsupports on an article of furniture normal to a floor surface, anendless flexible band removably stretched around and between saidvertical supports to provide spaced front and rear walls with one sidewall extending to the floor surface and the other side wall spacedtherefrom to provide a restricted entrance slot for the passage of saidgolf ball.

2. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a pair of spacedvertical supports on an article of furnitureextending normal to a floorsurface, an endless flexible band removably supported on said spacedvertical supports having one wall portion spaced from the other wallportion with the former extending to the supporting surface of saidarticle and the other surface terminating a short distance therefromsubstantially equal to the diameter of a golf ball to provide arestricted entrance slot for the passage of said ball between the floorsurface and said other surface terminating a short distance therefrom.

3. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a pair of verticalsupports normal to a surface on an article of furniture, comprising aflexible rubber band of endless construction removably stretched overand around the vertical supports to form a pair of spaced vertical frontand rear wall portions, one of said wall portions being of a width toextend to the surface on which the article is supported, and the otherwall portion being of a width of reduced dimensions to terminate fromthe supporting surface a distance slightly less than the diameter of agolf ball to provide a restricted entrance slot therefor to the spacebetween said front and rear Walls.

4. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a pair of verticalsupports normal to a floor surface constituting adjacent legs of achair, an endless flexible rubber band stretched over and between saidadjacent legs of said chair to form'a pair of spaced apart verticalfront and rear wall portions, one of said wall portions being of a widthto extend up the chain leg from the surface on which the chair issupported, the other wall portion being of a reduced width to form arestricted ball receiving slot with the lower edge terminating adistance from the floor surface substantially less than the diameter ofa golf ball to form a trap chamber between the front and rear walls ofsaid band.

5. A golf practice device comprising a pair of spaced vertical supportsnormal to a horizontal surface, an end-, less flexible rubber bandremovably stretched over said vertical supports to form a pair of spacedfront and rear wall portions, one of said wall portions being of a widthf to extend to said surface a vertical distance substantially equal totwice the diameter of a golf ball, the other wall portion being ofreduced dimensions with its lower edge extending in spaced relation'fromsaid surface to provide a restricted entrance slot for receiving thegolf ball in the space between said front and rear walls, and in:dicator markings along one edge of said wall portion of reduced width.

6. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a pair of spacedchair legs providing vertical supports normal to a surface, a flexibleendless band of a width substantially equal to twice the diameter of agolf ball, said endless band being tensioned by being placed in astretched condition on said chair legs to provide front and rear spacedwall portions forming a chamber therebetween, one wall of said endlessband being of reduced width to permit the band to be reversed and usedas a rebound surface and optionally as a ball trapping target in whichthe golf balls are received in said chamber.

7. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a

pair of vertical spaced apart chair legs normal to a surface, a flexibleelastic band of endless construction removably stretched over said pairof chair legs to form spaced front and rear wall portions forming achamber therebetween, one of said wall portions being of a widthsubstantially equal to twice the diameter of a golf ball and arranged toextend to the surface on which the chair is supported, the other wallbeing provided with cut away portions to form a restricted golf ballentrance slot with said surface and form a trapping chamber between saidwall portions for trapping a golf ball when the same is projected at thetarget, and an indicating marker on at least one of said walls toindicate a definite striking area.

8. A golf practice device comprising, a pair of vertical supportsarranged in spaced relation, an endless flexible band removably mountedon said supports and sutficiently tensioned by being stretched aroundand between said supports to form spaced front and rear wall portionsforming a chamber therebetween, said walls extending from the supportingsurface upwardly a distance of twice the diameter of a golf ball, one ofsaid wall portions being provided with a cut away area along its loweredge to provide a restricted entrance slot to the chamber between saidwall portions, said cut away portion forming a lower edge for one ofsaid wall portions which is spaced from a suitable supporting surface onwhich said vertical supports rest a distance less than the diameter of agolf ball, and a detachable indicating element adapted to be optionallyplaced on either of said walls to indicate a putting area.

9. A golf practice device as set forth in claim 8 in which said lowercut away edge is provided with a series of equidistantly spacedindicator marks to provide additional putting areas.

10. A golf practice device comprising, a pair of spaced verticalsupports extending upwardly from a surface, an endless flexible bandremovably stretched between said supports under tension to form spacedfront and rear walls having a chamber therebetween, one of said wallsbeing cut away along its lower edge to provide a restricted entranceslot for the passage of a golf ball into said chamber when the same isprojected toward said device, the other wall extending upwardly from thesurface forming a ball retaining and stop surface and extending upwardlyfrom said surface a distance substantially equal to twice the distancebetween the diametral points of a golf ball,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,094,236 4/14Minshall 273l78 1,338,963 5/20 Rolfe 273177 X 2,283,462 5 42 Richie273-178 2,475,763 7/49 Vandal 273178 FOREIGN PATENTS 416,948 9/34 GreatBritain. 880,751 10/61 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner,

1. A GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A PAIR OF VERTICALSUPPORTS ON AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE NORMAL TO A FLOOR SURFACE, ANENDLESS FLEXIBLE BAND REMOVABLY STRETCHED AROUND AND BETWEEN SAIDVERTICAL SUPPORTS TO PROVIDE SPACED FRONT AND REAR WALLS WITH ONE SIDEWALL